


Feelings Unmasked

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Discord: Umino Hours, Festivals, First Kiss, Flowers, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Genjutsu, M/M, Masks, Umino Hours Discord Server 60 Minutes To Gift Exchange, Umino Hours Exchange 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23056312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: It's time for the Haru no Saku Matsuri, but there are more things blooming in this year's spring than simple flowers.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 12
Kudos: 116
Collections: 60 Mins To Gift - Masks





	Feelings Unmasked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aviss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aviss/gifts).



> Written for the [Umino Hours](https://the-umino-hours.tumblr.com/) Discord server 60 minutes to gift exchange (theme: masks), for Aviss - I hope you like it!
> 
> I made up the Haru no Saku Matsuri (spring blooming festival) but drew a little from some real Japanese festivals including Setsubun.

Iruka didn’t startle when Kakashi appeared in his classroom in a swirl of leaves due mostly to several years of solidifying his unflappability when faced with pre-genin, bolstered by familiarity with Kakashi. Between them, pre-genin and jounin were the wildest, least predictable creatures in existence, Iruka thought wryly, swallowing a laugh as Kakashi’s eye widened and he stepped back from the display of masks hung near Iruka’s desk.

There was a slightly oversized deep red tengu mask closest to Kakashi’s face - Chouji’s creation - though his eyes strayed quickly to the little white-and-red kitsune mask Naruto had made. It looked all too like an ANBU mask, in addition to the unease the kitsune design would spark in almost any native of Konoha, but Iruka had only smiled and encouraged him when he asked if it was all right. It had made him happy.

Kakashi cocked his head and raised a hand, lightly tapping the brow of one slightly twisted oni mask. “Not exactly the most practical ninja tool, are they? Henge-”

Iruka huffed, interrupting him. “They’re for the Haru no Saku.” He paused. “Perhaps not the most _traditional_ ,” though there were a few in the style of the oni masks generally used by heads of house or certain others to fulfil traditional roles, “but they’re kids.”

“They’re having fun.” Kakashi said, and Iruka smiled.

“They’re having fun.” he confirmed. “Besides, henge? Even if they had the chakra,” and some of them did, even aside from Naruto, though not many; his class were only seven, “can you _imagine_? A class full of pre-genin playing with henge? Please no.” He laughed.

Kakashi’s eye was bright with amusement and he grinned behind his mask and inclined his head. “I _do_ know about the Haru no Saku Matsuri, you know, sensei.” he said, shaking his head slightly. “I’m not so _very_ distanced from normal life in the village.”

Months ago Iruka would have apologised, even if Kakashi had stopped quite making Iruka _flustered_ early on. Now he only arched his eyebrows and swallowed a laugh of his own when Kakashi giggled.

Iruka cocked his head. He could hear the kids heading back in. “What did bring you here, Kakashi?” he asked.

His brows rose a little more when Kakashi shifted almost awkwardly. “Maa, you see. . .”

Kakashi didn’t get a chance to finish, Iruka’s horde of pre-genin spilling in through the doorway. Iruka smiled slightly, glancing over them assessingly by reflex. There were never any problems when Mariko was the one supervising their midday play break, but Iruka always watched them carefully when they returned every day he hadn’t pulled that duty, regardless.

Iruka felt a ripple of chakra and turned his attention back to Kakashi with a sharp glare, but he only gave one of his little crinkle-eyed smiles, looking . . . roughly as innocent as it was _possible_ for him to look.

Which, Iruka had learned over the slow course of their friendship, was _far_ too innocent. It was frustrating as much as it was . . . endearing.

Kakashi was moving closer behind his desk, and they were alone, the trotting feet of the horde of pre-genin out in the corridor approaching, but not quite near enough to worry yet. Kakashi pulled his mask down, and Iruka startled, eyes wide. Kakashi smiled, a little crooked, a faint crinkle at the corner of his eye - he was nervous, Iruka realised with a little surprise. Kakashi was so rarely nervous even over the course of their deepening friendship Iruka had hardly seen it.

“Iruka. . .” Kakashi leaned close and Iruka stilled. Kakashi’s lips brushed his cheek, a feathery caress that was barely a caress at all. Iruka swallowed, startled, and turned his head, but Kakashi was already withdrawing.

He clasped Iruka’s hand and slipped a brilliant red azalea into his palm. Iruka’s heartbeat sped. _I love you_ , he thought instantly, because he _taught_ the basics of hanakotoba, because he and Kakashi had _spoken_ of it - though not like _this_ \- not even a full three weeks ago. He _knew_ the meaning.

The running feet. They weren’t any closer.

“ _Kakashi._ ” Iruka spiked his chakra, shattering the genjutsu; it wasn’t difficult, Kakashi hadn’t trapped him nor forced him, only showed him a simple mask of reality. “Kai.”

Kakashi was once more standing by the hanging masks, head tilted towards Iruka, eye closed in his little crinkled smile - his mouth hidden, once more, behind his mask. And there was no flower in Iruka’s grasp, though he would not forget it, nor the message it held.

There were murmurs from his class, curiosity and the beginnings of mischief - _no one_ caught mischief building faster than Iruka, though he didn’t always intervene - and he cleared his throat even as Kakashi disappeared with a rapid shunshin and a swirling few leaves. There was a single red petal among them, though it dissipated just as fast, and Iruka’s breath caught.

That _dratted man_ , Iruka thought, with entirely too much fond warmth.

He forced himself on, addressing his class. “Kakashi-san has just demonstrated-”

“Shunshin no jutsu!” Ino interrupted firmly, and Iruka looked at her. She ducked her head.

“Correct, but I was referring to the _genjutsu_ he used beforehand.” Iruka said gently, and gestured towards the masks as he swiftly improvised a lesson centring on genjutsu that was appropriate for the level of his current class. The simplest of the basics, he thought - and ignored Sasuke’s scoff as he began, as though being from his clan with its legendary genjutsu prowess meant he knew everything Iruka could teach on the topic; Iruka didn’t miss him paying rapt attention to the simplified theory as Iruka explained it, either - and then he would bring it back around to the lesson plan he had laid out for today.

Though the kids kept looking towards their masks, he wouldn’t have them work to finish the project until tomorrow - in time to send them home with the completed masks only a single night before the matsuri began. With that short a time, it was at least possible most of the masks would survive to be worn to it, Iruka thought wryly.

Iruka anticipated some dirty looks from parents for giving them not only the time and help to make the masks, but also the encouragement to do so, but it was harmless, and his students deserved the fun. It had been fun for himself, as well, and he had a mask of his own made to wear to the matsuri already, though. . .

Iruka hummed thoughtfully as he oversaw his class beginning to debate the most effective methods for hiding. He would let them run for a bit before pulling them back in, this kind of discussion helped them learn better than any number of lectures alone - at least with gentle corrections offered when they veered too far off course.

Iruka considered, and planned, in a distracted corner of his mind, even as he drew his class’ focus back to the lesson.

* * *

Kakashi wandered the streets of Konoha smiling behind his mask - his usual mask; unlike many of those he passed he was not wearing one for the matsuri - despite the slightly jangled edge to his nerves attending matsuri always brought. It was crowded, bustling, the dark of evening lit brightly with lanterns in a dozen colours and hanging everywhere - predominantly green for the new spring, highlighted with a riot of other colours for the flowers it would bring - and the rhythms of even his home village, so familiar to him, were disrupted and strange.

Though he could admit to himself that part of his anxiety was also- Well.

His lips curved a little more as he thought of Iruka - one of his dearest friends, or had become so over the past year and more - and the shock in his dark eyes when. . . The soft brush of his cheek beneath Kakashi’s lips, even only in genjutsu. . .

Had it really been such a shock, Kakashi wondered? Or had it been the _way_ he had approached-

Kakashi stiffened as he felt chakra flicker _too close_ behind him, fighting down the urge to draw a weapon as he turned towards the feeling. He stilled, head tilting and eye narrowing. There was a masked figure in a soft blue yukata patterned with waves behind him, and he recognised Iruka immediately.

Even without the slightly childish dolphin painted on the lower cheek of his otherwise elegant mask, white with a light pattern of green wisps, suggesting spring breezes and new leaves. Kakashi was almost distracted from the pop of brilliant red he wore on his chest, but-

Not quite.

Kakashi’s gaze lingered on the azalea, faintly shocked, then darted up just as Iruka reached to remove his mask. He was smiling behind it, and he beckoned. Kakashi took a step forwards, breathless, anxiety twining with a resurgence of hope.

“Hello, Kakashi.” Iruka said, just loud enough for Kakashi to hear and go no further, and then he clasped Kakashi’s wrist. “I’ve been looking for you . . . come watch the fireworks with me?” he asked.

Kakashi blinked, then frowned slightly. That hadn’t been what he had expected - that was not _any_ of the responses he might have expected. A soft, velvety brush against his fingers- Kakashi looked down and his breath caught. Iruka tucked a second red azalea, the match to the one he wore himself, in Kakashi’s hand.

“Please, Kakashi?”

Kakashi nodded, clasping the flower gently and moving to follow Iruka as he led the way out of the main streets and away from the crowds. Kakashi was a little surprised when he _kept going_ once they were out of the main thoroughfares - though the main body of the matsuri was contained just at the outskirts of the village, and it wasn’t _far_ beyond that to be hidden among trees. Kakashi was sure they weren’t the only people - the only _couple_ \- out here . . . fireworks or no.

“I took your message.” Iruka said, touching the azalea he had pinned to his yukata, then shifted his grip on Kakashi’s wrist and reached for his face. He only trailed a gentle caress down Kakashi’s jaw, not trying to pull his mask down.

Kakashi held up the azalea he now held himself. “And return it?”

“Oh, Kakashi,” Iruka said, a little breathless and smiling, “you doubted it?”

“I didn’t want to.” Kakashi admitted, but shrugged a little awkwardly. “I couldn’t . . . assume, though.”

Iruka stroked his jaw again. “You can assume.” he said with a soft laugh, and then his breath hitched as Kakashi reached up himself, pulling his mask out of the way. He smiled slightly at Iruka, tentative. “Oh, _Kakashi_.” Iruka said again, and then Kakashi’s heart fluttered as Iruka stepped into him and kissed him; a full, warm kiss this time, one hand still curled lightly around his wrist and the other sliding down from his jaw to cup his neck.

Kakashi hummed softly, heart light, and returned the kiss with eager affection, nuzzling Iruka even as their lips parted. “I meant it.” Kakashi said quietly.

“I knew you did the moment you. . . I know you.” Iruka said, nuzzling back and kissing Kakashi again, lighter this time. “I love you too.”

Kakashi drew Iruka to himself, holding him close, and Iruka made a soft contented sound as he returned the embrace. They lingered together, trading soft kisses, until the first crack of the fireworks overhead made Kakashi twitch, startled. He’d forgotten. . .

“Come with me.” Iruka invited with a grin, stepping back and twining his fingers with Kakashi’s. “Watch the fireworks?”

Kakashi laughed, pulling up his mask as he let Iruka lead him away again, not back closer to the crowds but higher, to a clear place that allowed a good view of the bright colours in the sky, but . . . left them still with the illusion of being alone among the trees.

They settled onto the grass together and Kakashi leaned cosily into Iruka, squeezing his hand. Iruka shot him a sweet smile, nudging back.

**Author's Note:**

> Red azaleas do indeed mean 'I love you' in hanakotoba.


End file.
